Advocates Find Surprises in Infrastructure Bill

As the Senate crawls through hundreds of amendments on President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill, advocates are still combing through the text of the so-called Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill — and they’re finding some surprises they hope will motivate advocates to speak out. 

Senate negotiators caught the advocacy community off guard early on Monday morning when they dropped the 2,702 page mega-bill, which would fund and structure the country’s core transportation programs for the next five years while simultaneously injecting billions in one-time spending into roads, transit and more — and then chased it with a mountain of more than 400 amendments that could alter the core DNA of the bill.

Luckily for advocates — though maybe not so luckily for those who want to see the deal done quickly — lawmakers only voted on five of those amendments on day one of debate, giving analysts a little time to catch up after all the shock and awe.

Here are a few of the highlights — and outrages — that are lighting up Twitter feeds this week. Fair warning: there’s way more to come.

A pilot that could end the gas tax

A lot of sustainable transportation advocates argue that the federal gas tax doesn’t capture the full costs that drivers impose on society, and that it’s long been set way too low to disincentivize driving — though what should replace it has been a subject of hot debate.

One option that’s gained bipartisan interest in recent years is a Vehicle Miles Travelled tax (also known as a mileage-based user fee). The bill includes $50 million for a five-year pilot to study how the U.S. might shift to the innovative model, as well as to raise public awareness about its benefits (though some argue it’s not a silver bullet, or that drivers should face other taxes, too.)

And a lot of amendments on deck

As the debate slogs on, advocates are still doing everything they can to fold the best provisions of the House’s celebrated INVEST Act into the Senate’s largely status-quo reauthorization measures — something that could be especially critical if the mega-bill isn’t conferenced in the House like pretty much everyone wants. 

The National Association of City Transportation Officials took to Twitter with a primer on the most urgent amendments — and a five-minute call to action for advocates who are ready to demand a better transportation future.

To limit the damaging aspects of the bill–including allowing states to set negative safety targets and to expand major roads without city input–we are taking an all-hands-on-deck moment.

YOUR SENATORS MUST HEAR FROM YOU today, in support of the following amendments:

— NACTO (@NACTO) August 4, 2021

* Warnock 2167 + Cardin 2176: Increases funding to the reconnecting communities program to $5 billion
* Booker 2371: Increases the federal share for projects in areas of persistent poverty

^^ Ask your senator to support these 6 amendments.

— NACTO (@NACTO) August 4, 2021

How? Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 & ask to speak to your Senator's office.

Once you're connected, state your support for investments in infrastructure WITH the critical amendments above. That's it! Takes 5 minutes. We timed it.

Let's make this huge bill better.

— NACTO (@NACTO) August 4, 2021